Continuous exhaust-box for preserve-containing cans.



H. 0. PRIVETT. CONTINUOUS EXHAUST BOX FOR PRESERVE CONTAINING CANS. APPLICATION FILED MAY I3. 1514.

Patented Mai-y 15,1917.

I H.- C. PRIVETT. CONTINUOUS EXHAUST BOX FOR PRESERVE CONTAINING CKNS.

APPUCATIDN mm MAY13. 1914.

1 ,2263592. Patented May 15, 1917.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2- H. C. PRIVETT. CONTSNUOUS EXHAUST BOX FOR PRESERVE CONTAINING CANS.

APPLICATION EILED MAY13. I914.

Patented May 15, 1917.

5 SHE ET$SHEET 3.

Irwemfor H8121 *G Z). f/ M H. CM PRIVETT. I CONTiNUOUS EXHAUST BOX FOR PRESERVE CONTAINING CANS.

APPLlCATkON EILED MA 13. I914. 1,226,592; Patented May 15, 1917.

I s s uzns-snzn 4 H. C. PRIVETT. CONTINUOUS EXHAUST BOX FOR PRESERVE CONTAINING CANS.

-APPI.|CAT|ON FILED MAY 13. 19H. 1

- Patented May 15, 1917.

5 SHEETS-SHE T 5.

enlar' Ji s UNiTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENBY CLAUDE PRIVIELET, LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA.

.CONTINUOUS EXHAUST-BOX FOR PRESERVE-CONTAINING CANS.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, HENRY CLAUDE PRIVETT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Long Beach, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a certain new and useful Continuous Exhaust-Box for Preserve-Containing Cans, of which the following'is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus to be used for exhausting the air and other gases from cans which contain preserves such as fish, meats, fruits and the like, preparatory to scaling. such cans.

An about of the invention is to provide an exhaustox that will convey cans before be ing sealed at such a speed through the exhaust=box that the cans will simultaneously be properly exhausted and fed out so that they may be taken up and sealed upon leaving the exhaust-box without retarding their movement upon exit from the exhaust-box.

Other objects of the invention are to pro-. vide an exhauster whereby a large number of cans may. be; Subject to the exhausting process simultaneously; and to providean arrangement whereby the cans will be auto-- maticailly fed through the apparatus and out again into position-ready for sealing. Another object of the invention is to pro vide an exhauster which can be quickly adjustedtmsubject the cans for a shorter or longer eriod of exhaustion as required. To this end switches and openings are provided by means of which the cans can be conveyed out of the exhauster at different predeter-' mined periods before going the full length of the conveyer.

Still other objects of the invention are to provide an efficient means for heating the cans while passing through the exhaust-box; to provide means whereby steam is thoroughly distributed throughout the interior of the exhaust-box; and to provide an arrangeinent in which the space of the ex- .llflR'SlJ-bOX will be used-to. the greatest advantage soc-that there is practically no space To these ends a chest 1s provided to be heated by steam, and to be supplied with steam for the exhausting process, said chest having an entrance and an exit, a series of winding tracks forming one continuous path, into the entrance, through the chest and out at the exit, and a conveyor traveling over such continuous path to move along the. articles 0 sa d Pa h.

taken on the line.m w,-Figs. 1 an'd'.

' tributer on the line ar Specification of Letters latent. Patented May 15,1917,

Application filed May 1 3, 1914. Serial No. 838,393.

It is understood that various changes in the construction may be made to suit the convenience or judgment of the manufacturer. As, for instance, as at present it is deemed preferable to use a w re cable as means of conveying or propelling the cans tioned to the size of the cans to be handled and thewire cable for handling cans of approximately 4: inches in diameter, by 2fl; inches deep, 1 nay be inch diameter more or less to erationf v These and other features, capabilities and advantages of the invention will appear secure'the most satisfactory op from the subjoined detail description of one specific embodiment of the invention.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention;

Figure l is a fragmental longitudinal section of the improved exhauster taken partly on mid line m m of Figs. 2, 4 and 13 Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmental trans? verse section of the same taken" on the line m w of Figs. 1, 4i and 9.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmental sectional detail of the adjacent inner and outer tracks" Fig. 4 is a plan section viewed from irreg ular line ww*, Fig. 1.

Fi 5 is a diagrammatic plan view of the i take-up. Fig. 6 is a fragmental broken view showing the opening indicatedat ww; 0f-

Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is an'enlarged fragmental detail of the steam distributer.

Fig. 8 is a cross section the r e'm'dis.

Fig.

- Fig. 9 is abroken sectional plan of the inner track, with sheaves and cable in place, a portion of one side of the outer track being also shown.

Fig. 10 is a broken fragmentaldetail' elevation of a portion of the inner track and sheaves viewed from line ai -w, Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a fragmental plan'showing a portion of the outer track and the arrangement of transfer viewed from line as-;p Fig. 12.

of steam heating pipes.

Fig. 12 is a fragmental sectional elevation. showing a portion of the outer track together with the arrangement of transfer viewed from irregular line 00 -00 of Fig. 11.

Fig. 13 is a fragmental plan section of the exhauster omitting the sheaves and illustrating the beginning and end of the track.

An auxiliary opening together with a form of removable sheave turn is also shown at the right of the figure. c

Fig. 14 is a fragmental plan section showing an arrangement of switch applied to the outer track of the exhauster. In this view the eonveyer is shown as traveling in the opposite direction.

Fig. 15 is a fragmental sectional elevation viewed from irregular line m *m of Fig. 14 and showing a switch in position.

In the embodiment shown two parallel stringers 1 spaced apart are provided .on which are secured. angular plates 2 which serve as standards to support thesteam chest 3 at a distance above the floor. The steam chest is of substantial construction having side walls. 4. end walls-5 and root 6 and a floor 7 composed of wood, the meeting ends of the adjacent walls, roof and floor being reinforced by angle plates 8 secured over such meeting ends. The floor 7 gradually bulges downward toward its middle 9 to .facilitate drainage, provided for this purpose.

a drain pipe 10 being 'Atempe'ratureof about 212.F. is maintained in the steam chestby means of groups At the floor there are provided two groups 11 and 12 which together cover the entire floor with a web "of steam pipes, each group being composed of aseries of parallel pipes 13 connected by elbows 14: to form a continuous steam passage, which groups of pipes are supported by transverse stringers 15. Along each of the side walls 4 is arranged another group 16 of steam pipes composed of a series of parallel pipes 17 connected at their ends to headers 18 and 19, the upper end of the header 18 being connected with an intake pipe 20 and the lower end with the return pipe 21, the headers 18 and 1.9 being supported by corner plates 22 secured to the side walls 4.

There is also provided an arrangement whereby steam may be passed into the steam chest ior' treating the food stufis passed through the chest, this being accomplished bypassing a steam. pipe 23 through the floor 7 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the pipe 23 being connected at a short distance above the floor to the connecting pipe 24 of an H-shaped pipe system, the two parallel pipes 25 of v such system being provided with perforations 26 in their upper surface, the perfora tions 26 of each pipe 25 being arranged in a staggered line as shown in Fig.7, so that the steam jets out of the pipes in two angular directions, whereby it is very elficiently distributed throughout the chest 3.

The winding tracks-comprising slightly inclined stationary guide-ways have sheaves at their bends or turns, which sheaves form the inner walls of the tracks at such bonds. In the present instance there, are provided near each end of the steam chest 3 a vertical shaft 27 on which are mounted sheaves 28, 7

one on top of the other, seven bein shown, which are supported at a distance rom the floor 7 of the chest by means of collars 29. Inwardly of each of the shafts. 27 and substantially in a line therewith are provided two other vertical shafts 30, each having.

and also near each of the end walls 5 are p'rovided a number of legs 32in one continuous line having feet 33 which are secured. to the floor 7. To the inside of these'legs '32 are secured the outer walls of the outer winding track consisting ofangle irons 34, the vertical legs of which are secured to the legs while the horizontal legs of such angle irons extend inwardly. This angle iron section '34 of the guide-way it will be seen begins at the entrance of the chest at the .lowerleft side, .extends longitudinally in a slightly upward directionuntil it approaches the lowermost sheave 28 on the shaft 27, then extends around-the sheave/28', extends longitudinally back toward the entrance of the steam chest in a slightly upward direction until it approaches the lower- .most sheave on the other shaft 27 and so on,

until said section makes its uppermost :turn

where it meets the upper end of a corresponding section 34 of the descending winding track which extends downward in a winding manner similarly to the outer winding track around the sheaves 31, except that the outer walls around the sheaves are 'merely curved plates 35 without horizontal legs.

The inner wall of the outer winding track. consists of angle-iron sections 36 having ver- I tical legs and horizontal legs pointing outwardly, said angle-irons 36 only extending from sheave to sheave. The angle-irons 36 of theinner track are supported by a parallel row oflegs 37 having similar feet 33 secured to the floor of the steam chest, the vertical legs of the angle-irons 36 being fastened to these legs 37. To support the angle-irons-36 of the outer track and the angledrons 34' of the inner track there are provided a. plurality of vertical strips 38 be tween the two sets of angle-irons to the opposite sides of which such angle-irons are fastened, a strip being fastened to adjacent 4.4 near its outer wall.

crowns 48 which are inner wall. The inner tracks are similarly provided with cable-supporting plates 4C2 fastened to the lower faces of the horizontal legs i3, 43 of the angle-irons 3t, 36', which legs extend from sheave to sheave and are each provided with a cable-receiving groove The sheaves 28 and 31 trated in Figs. 1., 2 and i are each provided with a platform 96 which is the extension of the lower edge of the peripheral cable-receiving grooves 1-6, 17. on the upper face 455 of thesheavesQS there are provided circular the continuation of the On the inner walls of the outer traclrs.

' upper faces of the sheaves 31 there are prothe outer side of 31 and out at the -l shown as a continuous wire cable steam chest, then passes into the steam chest and into the grooves 41 of VlClGd circular crowns i9 which are thecon' tinuation oi. the inner walls of the inner tracks. It will be'seen that the crowns l8 are less removed from the outer edges of the sheaves 28 in proportion than the crowns i9 are removed from the outer edges of the sheaves 31. Similarly, it will be seen that the vertical legs of the angle irons 34 are less removed from the outer edges of the sheaves 28 than the curved plates 35 are removed from the outer edges of the sheaves 31, the curved plates 35 not having any horizontal legs. "The reason for this is so that the crowns 4.8 and 49 will be spaced apart equal distance from the adjacent outer walls oi. the tracks respectively. The arrangement of the crowns i9 011 the inner sheaves serves tosave space. i

The conveyor in the present instance is 50 which passes over a heave 51' mounted on a horizontal-shaitt 52 below the entrance (1 of the l the entrance of the outer tracks, then around the grooves d6 of the sheavesQS until it reaches the uppermost turn of the outer track where 1t is transferred to the inner track. This is accomplished by means of an idler 53 mounted on a stub shaft 5d fastened to the roof 6 which idler has its groove 55 ext-ending into the slanting track limb 56 which connects the outer and inner tracks at the top, the cable 50 actuating the idler 53 and the cans ridingover the upper face 57 of the idler and being carried thereby instead of by the cable. From this point the cable passes into the cable-receiving grooves 44 of the plates 42, th n around. the sheaves ii righ'bea'it it of the steam chest where it s passed over an idler 58 mounted on a hormontal shaft 59 to the right of the exit and below the steam chest,

near its I frame 63 havin as I clearly illus uppermost of the 1 and then back to the idler 51 at the entrance 1 to the steam chest.

To take ,up the slack inthecable, a takeup 60 is provided to engage the cable below the steam chest when it passes from idler 58 to the other idler 51. i

The take-up comprises an that is mounted on a fixedshaft 62and a a pulley 6d mounted on a shaft journa ledin a block 66 which is slidably mounted in the frame 63, the block 66 being connected to springs 68, the cross-piece 67 also being slidably mounted in the frame, The cross-piece 67 engages the screw-threaded rod 69 of the crank 70 which is fixed but idle pulley 61'" a cross-piece 67 by rotatably mounted in the cross-piece 71..

The cable 50, as illustrated in Fi wound around the pulleys 61 and 64. As the cable becomes .lack,v the crank "(0 turned to draw thepulle 64 away firom the pulley 61 by-meanso which theficable will again become taut. Of course,

ment, 2. piece may be taken out ofthe ceble g, 5, before. passing from the idler 58 to the idler 51, is

o t ,crank 70 has come to the hunt of its moveand the takempre-set into operative posttion.

To drive the conveyor the following novel 1 mechanism is provided. On the side of the steam chest is mounted a hearing 71' for the shaft 72, on one end of which maybe secured tightand loose pulleys 73 and73. 0n the ar 7 4 is secured which other end of a bevel g meshes with a bev gear 75 mounted on shaft 27. Below the bevel gear '75 a spur gear ion 77 fixed to a stub mounted in a bearing "(9 fixed. to the roof 6. The-pinion 77 is in mesh with a spur gear 80 secured to shaft 30. Preferably only the toned at one side to rotate with their respective shafts, in the present instance, set screws 81. being provided for each. of them. This facilitates maintaining the '76 is fixed which is in mesh with a pinshaft 78 rotatably sheaves 28 and 81 are fassubstantially the same tensionwhile it passes throu h the steam chest.

Di erent food stufis rations of time within which to exhaust. For this purpose, switches are: provided and openings in the-side of thechest by means of which the food studs may be, asse'd out before reaching the bottom of to exhauster. For very short periods of exhaustion, the "food stufl's would not need to be conveyed around the inner track at all, but passed oii' from the outer track. On the other hand if the period of exhaustion equalsmore than the time required to pass around one winding track, it sary to reverse the cable as shown in Fig; 14 so that the food stufis were conveyed through then passed the inner winding traclt fi1st, and

off the outer winding" track 1'30 require difl'erent would onlyfbe neces 1]) cable under 1 side, the cans will incline to the inside. steam chest an outer winding the steam chest Y urpose of repair and the like a door haust is secured by varying the speed of the -9 3 is provided extendin V practically the encable, which may be accomplished by altertlre length of one oft e side walls 4, the

through. switches at whatever altitude de- In order to' gain access to sired. Further'flexibility. of duration of exfor thep 1n the speed of drlving motive power or by door being hinged at its bottom by means of 70 0t rmeans. One form of such'a, switch and hinges 94, and him in place at the top opening is illustrated in Figs. 14 and 15 in when in closed posit1 n byrsuitable fastenwhich the semi-circular section of the curved ing means such as the bolt' arrangement 95. angle-iron 34 around the sheaves 28 is re- It is'olcvious that various changes and moved, and removable curved angle-irons 82 modifications may be made; to the details of are substituted therefor to register with the construction without departing ,from the adjoining angle-irons 34 and secured to the general scope of the invention legs 32 by means of bolts 83, so that these I claim: l curved angle-irons may be easily removed 1; A continuous exhauster com prising a 1 when desired. steam :chest, two wlndlng gulde-ways ar- 30 0 one inside the other, sheaves at turns its comprisingopenings 84 are provided, in guide-ways, and a cable traveling on one opposite each level of track, these openthe sheaves along the guide-ways to carry ings being provided with plates 85 to serve cans, said guide-Ways and sheaves being in as closures for the openings when the openthe chest, and means to supply steam to the ings are not used, the plates beingsecured interior of the chest. I

i in place by means of bolts 86. When it'is f 2. A continuous exhauster comprising a desired to switch the food stuffs from a cersteam chest an ascending winding guidet'ain level of track, a plate 85 of the opening way, a descending winding guide-way, said 84 of thatlevel of track is removed, then .the guide-ways forming one continuous path, 90

removable angle-iron 82' removed, and. a a cable traveling along the switch track 87 or auxiliary guideway carry cans-alon the guide-ways and means slipped into place. The switch track or a'uxfor transferring cans fro iliary guide-way is composed of side rails 88 guide-way to the descend' and S9 and a floor 901, the floor 901 not extheir meeting ends, said means comprising 95 I and 89, so that the side rail 89 may project by the cans when leaving the asc over the platform of the sheaves 28 and the guide-way to pass onto the dose rail 88 may project and extend alongside of guide-way,- said guide-ways and travelin 5 the vertical leg of the angle-iron 34 to he means being in the chest, and

there secured'in place to the leg 62 by the ply steam to the interior of the chest. bolts 83. Theother end of the switch track A continuous exhauster will rest on the lower edge of the door of steam chest an ascendin V g winding guidethe opening 84. way, a descending winding guide-way ar- From theforegoing it is clear that the ranged inside of the ascending winding 105 lower openlng 6 accordlng to the dlrectlon ways, and means for transferring cans from of the cable, the cans setting on end, and the ascending guide-way inward to the dethat the cable will engage the bottoms of the scending guide-way, said means comprising cans and'draw them along through the exan idler the upper face of which is engaged hauster. When the cans are on the outside by the cans when l g track they will incline outwardly as the guide-way to pass onto the descending guide cable'is nearer the -1nside than the outside way positioned inside of the ascending 115 of the track which is desirable so that all guide-way; 'said guide-ways and traveling the cans incline to the same side. When the means being in the chest, and means to supcans are traveling in the inne track, the ply steam to the interior of the chest. cable being nearer the outside an the in- 4. A continuous exhauster comprising a guide-way, an 120 hen the food stufi's, being conveyed inner windingguide-way, said guide-ways through the exhauster, require oil to be forming one continuous path, a cable travmixed with them, such oil overflowing from cling in the guide-ways to carry cans along the cans will lubricate the track. When the guide-ways, and means for switchingoff stuffs whichhavenooil mixed with them the cans at any predetermined point along 125 arecarried by the conveyer, other lubricathe guide-ways; said guide-ways being in tion will, of course, be provided if found the chest, and means to supply steam to the necessary. The cable-receiving grooves 14 in interior of the chest. l, the plate 42 are adapted to hold the oil in 5. A continuous exhauster comprising a position to lubricate the cable, steam chest an outer winding guide-way, an 139 means to sup 0o inner Winding guide-Way, said guide-Ways forming one continuous path, a cable trav eling in the guide-ways to carry cans along the guide-ways, and means vfor switching off the cans at any predetermined point along the guide-ways, said means comprising an auxiliary guide-way inserted into and at the turn of-the outer winding guide-Way, said auxiliary guide-Way directing the cans out of the exhauster; said guide-Ways being in the chest, and means to supply steam to the interior of the chest.

6. A continuous exhauster comprising a steam chest an outer winding guide-Way, an inner 'Windil'lg guide-way, said glli .ie-\vays forming one contiiulous path, side rails for said guidewva sheaves at the turns of said v u A "gmde-ways, a cable traveling in the gu dei'vays and around the sheaves to carry cans" along the guide-ways, and means for switching off the cans at any predetermined point along the guide-ways, said means comprising an auxiliary guide-way inserted into and at the turnsol? the outer Winding guide-Way,

said auxiliary guide-way directing the cans away from the sheaves at such turns and out of the exhauster; said guide-ways and sheaves being in the chest, and means to supply steam to the interior of the chest.

7. A continuous exhauster comprising a steani chest a winding guide-way having an entrance at one end of the guide-Way and an exit at the other end oi the guide-Way, sheaves at the turns of said guide-Way, a cable traveling in the uide-Way and around the sheaves to carry cans along the guide- Way, and means for switching off the cansv at any predetermined point along the guide- Way, said means con'iprising auxiliary exits formed in the exhauster and adjacent the turns of said Winding guideway, and an auxiliary guide-way inserted into and at the turn of the winding guide-way so as to ex-- tend over and be supported in one of the auxiliary exits, so to direct the cans from the Winding guide-Way in a direction out of the auxiliary exit; -said guide-Ways and sheaves being in the chest, and means to supply steam to the interior of the chest.

8. A. continuous exhauster comprising a steam chest a Winding guide-way having an entrance at one end'of the guide-way and an exit at the other end of the gu1de-Wa'y,

side rails on said guide ii'ay, a cable traveling in the guide-way to carry cans along the guide-way, and means for switching-toil" the cans at any predetermined point in the guide-way, said means comprising auxiliary exits formed in the exhauster adjacent the turns of said winding guide-way and an auxiliary guideavay inserted into and at the turn or the winding guide-Way displacing one of the said' side rails, and extending over and being supported in one of the aux-- iliary exits so as to direct the cans from the Winding guide-way in a direction out of the auxiliary exit; said guide-Ways being in the chest, and means to supply steam to the interior of the chest.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at os 'Angeles, California, this 2nd day of May, 190i. I a

HENRY CLAUDE PRIVETT. In presence of- JAMES R. TOWNSEND, J. M. WILLARP. 

